Australian PC World articles from January 2004

Australian PC World archives from January 2004

Rage against the machine! The issue of piracy in the music and software industries, and the protection of intellectual property, has been kicking around for yonks. For instance, it's over four years since the early days of peer-to-peer file sharing--made famous by Napster--and still the music industry is chasing its tail!(Editorial)
January 1, 2004... I am constantly surprised that industries which want to protect their intellectual property continue to pursue solutions in the form of digital rights management, product activation codes and the like. Work-arounds for these protection measures...

ICANN to give new gTLDs a new push.
January 1, 2004... The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will launch a new initiative for enabling new generic top level domains (gTLDs), the group recently announced. In approving a new two-stage approach, ICANN, which oversees...

Amount of data stored doubles in three years.
January 1, 2004... The amount of new information stored on various media such as hard drives has doubled in the past three years, to five exabytes of new information produced in 2002, according to a study released by the University of California, Berkeley. ...

Intel tips transistor fix.(Analysis)
January 1, 2004... Intel is trumpeting technology breakthrough it says will lead to billion transistor processors by 2007, resulting in computing power well beyond what's capable today. The advance is a new kind of transistor, made under a new process and...

Microsoft's antivirus bid.(Analysis)
January 1, 2004... Stepping up its battle against computer viruses and worms, Microsoft has established a $US5 million fund to pay rewards for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for releasing malicious code, the company said....

N-Gage games cracked.(Analysis)
January 1, 2004... Hackers have cracked the copy protection code of games developed for Nokia's recently-launched N-Gage mobile game console, the company said. "We have discovered that some of the N-Gage games are available for downloading on a number of Web...

More growth in mobile industry yet.
January 1, 2004... Nearly three out of every four Australians own a mobile phone, but analysts claim there is still more room for growth in the mobile telephony industry. Research group IDC suggests phone users will rise to 17.2 million, representing 83 per...

Study reveals consumers deleting music files from computers.
January 1, 2004... New York-based researcher The NPD Group said that, of the households it tracked, 1.4 million deleted their music files in August compared to 606,000 in May. The file deletion frenzy reflects the success of the recording industry's latest fear...

Novell buys SuSE Linux.(Analysis)
January 1, 2004... In a move that has been rumoured for months, Novell has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire SuSE Linux, a leading supplier of the open source Linux operating system to enterprise customers. Novell agreed to pay...

Sony shows off PSP.(Analysis)
January 1, 2004... Sony has shown for the first time a design concept for its planned PSP, a portable game and multimedia terminal that the company is touting as the "Walkman of the 21st century". The design, which was shown as an illustration at a recent...

Linux kernel attack thwarted.
January 1, 2004... An attempt by an unknown attacker to plant a Trojan virus in the Linux kernel has been blocked. Kernel developers discovered that a server hosting a copy of the Linux source code had been compromised and that a Linux kernel file had been...

Iomega plans 35GB removable storage.
January 1, 2004... Iomega is planning to launch two removable magnetic-based storage formats in the first half of 2004, company executives said. The first of the two to be launched, Removable Rigid Disk (RRD), will offer a capacity of 35GB per cartridge and...

Not happy, BigPond.(Broadband)
January 1, 2004... Nearly half of Telstra's BigPond Internet customers considered moving to another service provider after enduring problems across the ISP's network throughout October 2003, a survey has found. The BigPond feedback survey, by communications...

Optus to launch DSL service this year.(Broadband Briefs)
January 1, 2004... Optus has announced it will offer a DSL service by March to the residential market, following a deal with Telstra Wholesale. Optus will offer 512Kbps and 1500Kbps services, with conditions consistent with its cable services: flat rate...

Broadband network, provisioning complaints on the rise.(Broadband Briefs)
January 1, 2004... Billing, network faults and poor customer service have again topped the Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman's (TIO) report on customer complaints across dial-up and broadband Internet services. According to the 2002/2003 annual report,...

Introduction to the Linux desktop.(Linuxworld)
January 1, 2004... Have you recently tried Linux for the first time, or are considering using the OS? This month we take a look at some of the major applications available for the Linux desktop--listing the Windows equivalent where applicable--so you can make an...

Activation despair.(Readers' Forum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... I read with interest and despair that Symantec is going to introduce "product activation" into its range of products soon. Anyone who has had dealings with Reckon and its range of accounting software, QuickBooks, will know that this system...

Essential CDs.(Readers' Forum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... I wanted to add comment to your editorial (September issue) where you reported on a letter from Chris Mills about availability of broadband. The overlooked aspect of being limited to a 28.8Kbps connection (on good days) is that it is...

Missive of the month.(Readers' Forum)
January 1, 2004... Congratulations to Peter Swan! You are this month's winner of a copy of PowerDirector Pro software, from Manaccom. This great software--valued at $200--is a well-regarded video editing package. We are pleased to receive your letters, but...

Dilbert[R].
January 1, 2004... CAN YOUR DEPARTMENT DO THIS FOR US? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NO PROBLEM. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] REALLY? IT'S OUTSIDE OF YOUR NORMAL SCOPE OF WORK AND I KNOW YOU'RE OVERLOADED. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WE'RE A FLEXIBLE,...

Power graphics: WinFast A380 Ultra TDH, Radeon 9800XT.(First Looks)
January 1, 2004... Both ATI and NVIDIA have again raised the performance bar with new releases which, although not mind blowing, will hopefully help push the price of their existing high-end cards (the Radeon 9800 Pro and GeForce FX 5900, respectively) even...

5.3Mp still camera: Photosmart 945.(First Looks)
January 1, 2004... Weighing 470g (with batteries), the 5.3Mp HP Photosmart 945 is an example of a 'prosumer' digital camera--those that typically range from 2.1 to 5.0Mp, and don't have interchangeable lenses. It comes with a USB/FireWire card, camera dock and a...

Ultra zoom camera: easyshare DX6490.(First Looks)
January 1, 2004... Kodak's latest release from the DX series, the DX6490, is targeted at camera users wishing for a little more grunt than available from other 4.0Mp offerings. Presented as an 'ultra zoom' camera, this mid-size model is easy to hold one-handed...

External all-format drive: Super DVD Drive.(First Looks)
January 1, 2004... Available as both an internal version ($499) and a slick grey external USB 2.0 equivalent ($699), Iomega's new optical drives up the ante with support for DVD-RAM (at 3x). The drives can write to DVD+R and -R discs at 4x and read both at...

All-in-one center: A940.(First Looks)
January 1, 2004... Dell now offers its own branded laser printers and multifunction devices to customers, and the aim is to make these products as simple to use as possible. This is achieved through intuitive, easy-to-install software, excellent service and...

Integrated design set: Creative Suite.(First Looks)
January 1, 2004... Adobe's much anticipated Creative Suite is a fully integrated set of creative programs, rather than a group of individual applications. New features and functionality have been added to Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and GoLive, but it is the...

SMS from a PC: SMS Press.(First Looks)
January 1, 2004... Sending a text message is a quick and easy way to contact people. The only problem is that creating complex messages with lots of numbers and non-standard words is a real hassle when you're using a tiny mobile keypad and predictive text. This...

Web design software: Dreamweaver MX 2004.(First Looks)
January 1, 2004... Macromedia's Dreamweaver is well known as an industrial-strength Web-authoring tool--with a learning curve to match. This latest version of the program does little to alter its reputation as a powerful creative tool for Web designers, but it...

Create rich Web content: Flash MX 2004.(First Looks)
January 1, 2004... Of all the programs in Macromedia's Studio MX 2004 suite, Flash is the one that rings the most changes. It has historically been the most troublesome program, on account of its unique user interface, so bringing it into line with Macromedia's...

Smaller, lighter Dell PDAs.(Quick Takes)
January 1, 2004... When word hit the market in 2003 that Dell was planning to bring out a Pocket PC PDA, the reverberations were felt throughout the industry. Would it match its success in the PC market with handhelds? This early excitement, however, gave way...

Wireless media adapter.(Quick Takes)
January 1, 2004... The living room is one place you don't want any more cables. And, too, you don't want to trek over to your PC to look at digital photos or listen to MP3s. Linksys (which is now owned by Cisco) has released its new Wireless-B Media Adapter that...

Desktop Google searches.(Quick Takes)
January 1, 2004... Internet search giant Google is looking to make inroads into the desktop with the roll-out of its free Google Deskbar software, which allows Windows users to search the Web and applications without opening a browser. The Deskbar appears as...

Download dos & don'ts: shareware can save you a bundle if you avoid the downside of downloading. Here's how to save on software--safely.(Web & You)
January 1, 2004... MAUREEN THOMAS HAD A CHALLENGE: to create a Web site that would provide information and links on job placement resources that could be used by people who may never have used a PC, much less a Web browser. Complicating the task further, Thomas...

What's in store for 2004--and beyond: how will the PC change during the coming year? The next five year? We consult the experts and come up with answers.
January 1, 2004... THE HYPE IS FINALLY TURNING INTO REALITY. Over the next two years, you'll start to use 'invisible' PCs small enough to fit inside a desk drawer, powered by chips that chew through massive files like fairy floss. And you'll encounter strict...

Are you game? Summer's hottest action.
January 1, 2004... There is no doubt that 2003 was a watershed year for interactive entertainment. We have seen two of the major consoles move online, the launch of a new handheld games unit (the Nokia N-Gage), and increasing innovation and improvements in the PC...

Double your fun: dual boot your PC and run a second operating system: need to upgrade your operating system but afraid to make the leap? Relax, installing a second OS could be the answer. We'll talk you through the advantages of running both.
January 1, 2004... When you've been using a particular OS for a while it's easy to become so comfortable with it that you see no reason to upgrade--provided it can still perform all the tasks you need it to. However, if you're tempted to upgrade to a newer...

More is never too much.(Hard Drives)
January 1, 2004... Download gluttons and multimedia enthusiasts, as well as regular PC users in need of a new hard drive, will find a nice cross-section of the market in our Hard Drive Best Buys this month as we test 12 drives from the five leading manufacturers....

Domino effect on CPU prices.(Sweet Spot)
January 1, 2004... Intel's release of new processor lines and the phasing out of some of its older models has had a domino effect on prices across the vendor's complete range of desktop processors. Intel has dropped the long-standing 2.4GHz Pentium 4 chip...

Over $3500.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2004... Acer Veriton 7600G [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] Targeted at gamers, home theatre or multimedia enthusiasts, this system may be a little out of reach of the average user. For those who can afford the $5299 price tag, it is well worth...

$1500-$3500.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2004... TI AMD Super Power Pack [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] Running at 400MHz front side bus speed, the Athlon 64-bit 3200+ processor slots into a Gigabyte G8KNNXP motherboard based on the new nForce 3 chipset. The motherboard features...

SATO FX41 Shuttle.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2004... If the sight of an ugly PC system cluttering up your workspace is becoming too much, maybe the small form factor PC is the right avenue for you. Becoming more widespread now, small form factor PCs fill a niche that was previously left empty....

Sub-$1500.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2004... APUS Universe 2500 Avx [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] Offering plenty of space for future upgrades, this system is targeted at first-time PC buyers. The Universe 2500 runs an Athlon XP 2500+ processor with 333MHz front side bus speed...

Notebooks: over $35,000, $1500-$3500, sub-$1500.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2004... MAKE/MODEL VALUE SPEED REAL WORLD RATING RATING TESTS OVER $3500 (1) Acer Veriton 198 325 (a) 5m16s (e) 7600G 17731 (b) 3m29s (f) ...

Over $4000.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2004... Acer TravelMate 803LCi [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] Targeting people whO work on the move, the TravelMate 800 series model we tested had a 15in active TFT (with a maximum resolution of 1400x1050) that looked great thanks to the 64MB DDR ATI...

$2500-$4000.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2004... Hi-Grade UltiNote M6600 [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] The $3825 (down from $4005 last month) UltiNote M6600's optical drive can write DVD-R discs at 2x and rewrite at 1x, and write and rewrite CDs at 16x and 10x, respectively, in addition to...

Sub-$2500.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2004... Mitac MiNote 8080 [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] Although recording a SYSMark 2001 productivity benchmark score of 190, which is lower than its peers, in addition to just 1808 in 3DMark 2001, the MiNote 8080 more than offsets this with a...

Notebooks: over $4000, $2500-$4000, sub-$2500.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2004... MAKE/MODEL VALUE BENCHMARK REAL WORLD RATING SCORES TESTS OVER $4000 (1) Acer TravelMate 104.5 226 (a) 3m30s (c) 803LCi 7354 (b) 4m33s (d) ...

Hard drives.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2004... [W]hen it comes to hard drive capacity, the mantra that we have gone by here in the Test Centre is that one can never have too much free space. But have we come to a point where some users actually can have too much space? Not all users of PCs...

Tools & techniques for 2004: new year's know-how.(Here's How)
January 1, 2004... This month's Upgrader kicks things off with a list of recommended periodic tune-ups on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly basis. The article encompasses everything: rudimentary virus and Trojan scanning, backups, and cleaning your...

PC tune-up calendar.(Upgrader)
January 1, 2004... Making upgrades to your hardware is only half the battle when it comes to having a faster machine. Maintenance is essential, too. It isn't fun, but consider the alternatives. Don't floss your teeth? Hello, gum disease. PC tune-ups work in much...

Hard disk disaster prevention.(In Depth)
January 1, 2004... The single most important piece of hardware in your computer's system is the hard drive. It is responsible for holding all the information that resides on your PC, such as the operating system, applications and your data files. While components...

Synchronise with Offline Files.(Windows XP)
January 1, 2004... Like most notebook users, I soon discovered that portability comes at a cost: keeping your data synchronised can be a chore. Often, you need the same set of documents, spreadsheets and other files on both your notebook and desktop, but end up...

Configuring Samba 3.0 to act as a Windows File Server.(Linux)
January 1, 2004... One of the most common roles for a Linux server on a predominately Windows network is as a file and printer server. The effectively free price of Linux makes it a very attractive alternative to the Windows server family. To act as a Windows...

Using iTunes for Windows.(Audio)
January 1, 2004... Apple recently launched its first ever application for the Windows operating system--iTunes for Windows. PC users not satisfied with the features, interface or processor loads of existing digital music jukebox software such as MusicMatch, Real...

Panther's new features.(Mac OS)
January 1, 2004... Apple recently updated the Macintosh operating system for the third time in as many years, and this month we investigate how to use some of the new features on offer in 10.3. New Finder features In addition to tweaks such as icons that...

Removing purple fringing.(Graphics)
January 1, 2004... The joys of digital photography. You take a wonderful photo and preview it on your camera's LCD screen just to be sure. And, yes, it looks great. When you transfer the image to your computer, you notice that your camera has an unpleasant...

Pattern matching with PHP.(PHP)
January 1, 2004... Matching patterns in strings is important in just about all Web applications that deal with data. PHP has a large number of pattern matching functions and extensions, tightly integrated into the language itself. The easiest pattern in a string...

FireWire the go for DV.(Digital Video)
January 1, 2004... FireWire connectivity, with transmission speeds up to 400MBps and transfer speeds of around 50Mbps, has provided an improved working environment for camcorder users working in DV on a PC. However, a new player has emerged recently: USB 2.0...

All Windows: disable control panel?(Windows)
January 1, 2004... [Q] Is it possible to disable access to the Control Panel in the Start menu? --Name not supplied [A] Yes it is, but you need to consider your reasons for doing this. If you simply want to limit a user's access to the Control Panel...

Multifunction causes slowdown.(Hardware)
January 1, 2004... [Q] I recently bought an all-in-one HP printer. Since using it I have noticed a severe slowdown affecting Web browsing and other applications. If the printer is switched off, performance returns to normal. While searching for the reason, I...

Can you pass the PC World password safety test?(Internet)
January 1, 2004... Life online means living with and trying to remember--passwords. Lots of them. Your Internet, e-mail, and instant messaging accounts require you to enter a user name and a password. So do secure online bank, credit card, mutual fund, and...

Server errors.(Internet)
January 1, 2004... [Q] I recently upgraded from Outlook 97 to the 2000 edition. Since then I often can't send e-mail, although I can always receive it. I receive the following error: "The message could not be sent because one of the recipients was rejected by the...

Easy backups with WinZip and freeware.(Miscellaneous)
January 1, 2004... [Q] I've never backed up my data. How do I go about doing this? --Gary Oleson [A] The Spector Backup System stores your backups in .zip archives and works with any media that Windows sees as a regular drive, including a second hard...

Dungeons and Dreamers.
January 1, 2004... BY BRAD KING AND JOHN BORLAND The subtitle to Dungeons and Dreamers, 'The rise of computer game culture', is clear but doesn't wholly spell out what the authors of this book are attempting. King and Borland are primarily interested in how...

PC Mod Projects.
January 1, 2004... BY EDWARD CHEN, CARL MIXON, PHILIP MANSFIELD AND GRACE PUNSKA Publisher: Osborne (McGraw Hill) Price: $44.95 Phone: (02) 9900 1800 URL: www.mcgraw-hill.com.au ISBN: 0072230118 Bored by your beige box? Want your PC to show more...

Build Your Own Smart Home.
January 1, 2004... BY ROBERT C. ELSENPETER AND TOBY J. VELTE Publisher: Osborne (McGraw Hill) Price: $49.95 Phone: (02) 9900 1800 URL: www.mcgraw-hill.com.au ISBN: 0072230134 Build Your Own Smart Home taps into Australia's current home...

Linux looks a winner.(Skills)
January 1, 2004... As the perception of Linux changes from a 'socks and sandals' product as it moves into the enterprise and gains the support of vendors such as IBM, HP, Oracle and Dell, demand for people trained in Linux is growing. In line with this demand,...

whichbook.net.(Web)
January 1, 2004... Do you have trouble choosing books to read once you've gone past your favourite author's oeuvre? Whichbook.net has some suggestions that could help you out of a reading rut or choose a title as a present. The site has a simple interface: just...

The Danceman.(Web)
January 1, 2004... This is one of those wacky Web moments, lf you thought blogs demanded some commitment, check out The Danceman's Watchmedance.com. The idea is simple enough--watch him dance! At McDonald's! At a car show! In front of pictures of David...

The Open Video Project.(Web)
January 1, 2004... Still on the video topic, just a bit more serious, The Open Video Project aims to collect digital video resources for research purposes. Sounds academic, but regular users will find a mine of interesting video--from classic television...

Plants-in-motion.(Web)
January 1, 2004... This last site also has a video connection. Plants-in-motion has several time lapse videos of plants- germinating, reacting to night and day, even attempting to kill, in the case of the venus flytrap, lf you've ever 'planted' some seeds in...

Phishing for suckers.(Editor's Choice)
January 1, 2004... Got a message from a retailer or financial services firm, asking you to confirm your e-mail or physical address, password, and more? Be wary: it's probably a "phishing" lure. Spammers are increasingly using this technique to con you into...

Funky iPod carry case.(Gadgets & Gizmos)
January 1, 2004... The iPod is arguably the most stylish digital audio player out there, but its nasty black carry case just doesn't do it justice in the fashion stakes. For the more trendy girl about town, the Felicidade Tote Bag is the ticket. This classy white...

USB card reader.(Gadgets & Gizmos)
January 1, 2004... If you possess a plethora of devices that use different media cards, SanDisk's ImageMate 8-in-1 Reader could be just what you need. The device can read a wide range of media, including CompactFlash Type I and II, SmartMedia, SD and MMC cards,...

Stylish desktop PC.(Gadgets & Gizmos)
January 1, 2004... It's a PC, but not as we know it. The team behind the Cubit P4 has as much experience in designing computers as building them--something which is obvious from the system's sleek chrome contours and impressive specs list. The P4 supports up to a...

5Mp digital camera.(Gadgets & Gizmos)
January 1, 2004... Olympus has added to its family of digital cameras, introducing the 5Mp Camedia C-5000 Zoom. This intermediate model has a 3X optical zoom and 4X digital zoom, and offers six preset scene programs which aim to bring you the best results no...

Robot vacuum cleaners.(Gadgets & Gizmos)
January 1, 2004... Far from being the impossible dream of housework-weary people with dirty carpets, robotic vacuum cleaners are a reality. The Electrolux Trilobite uses sonar to figure out where obstacles are, working its way around them automatically. Turn it...

Flat-panel TV.(Gadgets & Gizmos)
January 1, 2004... If you are not on a budget then the Samsung SM403T LCD TV is a snip at $12999. LCD televisions are the way forward, offering better picture quality and longer life than plasma screens, with the same slimline silhouette. Until now the problem...

Sexy beast.(Gadgets & Gizmos)
January 1, 2004... So, you finally have the money saved up to buy a PlayStation 2 and a hard disk-based video recorder. Sony's new PSX is both these gadgets. There are two models--the DESR-5000 with a 160GB drive and the DESR-7000 with a 250GB drive--and both can...

Defining digital.(Gadgets & Gizmos)
January 1, 2004... The Lumix DMC-FZ10 pairs the Leica zoom lens with a 4Mp CCD image sensor that can deliver pictures with resolution up to 2304x1728 pixels. There are a handful of resolution modes including one that delivers 1920x1080-pixel images to match the...

Homeworld 2.(PC)
January 1, 2004... Homeworld 2 is less a sequel to 1999's Homeworld than it is a refinement. It's got a new plot that weaves through 15 single-player missions but other changes are more subtle, so when it comes to most aspects of game play, it looks and feels so...

Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII.(PC)
January 1, 2004... The latest addition to EA's addictive World War II shoot-'era-up introduces a slightly off-the-wall element to the 'traditional' wartime weapons of the era. And to be completely honest, I was worried some of the crazy sounding weapons and...

The Temple of Elemental Evil.(PC)
January 1, 2004... The Temple of Elemental Evil is an over-the-shoulder, third person view role playing game based on the 1985 first edition Greyhawk campaign of Dungeons and Dragons. The story line is structured around a temple that has been occupied by a...

The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring.(PC)
January 1, 2004... As the third instalment of Peter Jackson's cinematic interpretation of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (LotR) hits cinema screens, a host of game tie-ins is being launched across a variety of gaming platforms. Available only on the PC, War...